HEARD AND SCENE

Brian Dickie's swan song to COT puts the emphasis on the fresh and unusual

April 10, 2012|John von Rhein | Classical music critic

"Teseo" will reunite the production team from last season's "Medea" – director and costumer James Darrah and set designer Francois-Pierre Couture. Michael Beattie will double as conductor and harpsichordist, pacing Chicago's period-instrument group, Baroque Band.

Dickie's Chicago operatic swan song will arrive about two weeks following the expiration of his contract – Mozart's "The Magic Flute," scheduled for Sept. 15-23, just ahead of Lyric's fall-season opener.

"Magic Flute" originally was to have reunited COT's practiced Mozartean duo of conductor Jane Glover and director Diane Paulus. But scheduling conflicts intervened, which resulted in Dickie's engaging Steuart Bedford as conductor and Michael Gieleta as director. The new production will be the first to be administered by Dickie's successor, Andreas Mitisek.

I recently asked Dickie (who on April 23 will celebrate his 50th year as an international opera administrator) if he is departing COT with any bittersweet feelings.

"I hope my leaving is not bitter, but I can't say it's sweet, either," he replied, smiling. "The fact of the matter is I still hugely enjoy my job. I hope we've taken care of the repertory and looked after the interests of serious, inquisitive opera-goers. We have brought them pieces of undoubted merit that have not been seen before in Chicago. And we have provided a springboard for a good many young singers who have launched themselves in national and international careers.

"I shall miss all of that, and I shall particularly miss my dear colleagues at COT. They are my professional family, and working with them these 13 years has been a joy."

Kyle Jannak-Huang, a 14-year-old pianist from Palatine, is the first-place winner of the recent Chicago Symphony Orchestra Youth Auditions. His win guarantees him a slot as soloist in a CSO education concert next season. He was one of seven young Illinois musicians who auditioned in the competition sponsored by the Crain-Maling Foundation.

Chicago Syntagma Musicum will conduct a workshop including coachings and master classes focusing on masterworks of Bach, Handel and Telemann, June 2-10. Cost is $125. For further information, visit chicagosyntagmamusicum.org.

Paul R. Judy, a former president of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and founder of the Symphony Orchestra Institute, has been elected board chairman of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra. The group's next concert will be April 22 at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Evanston.